I’ve tried to write an article for this issue several times, but finally I decided to just try to write a little about life. This fall has been one of those seasons where lessons on thankfulness have moved from theory to reality. Over the last few months, I’ve been writing about gratitude — how to cultivate it, express it, and root it deeply in our hearts. But in recent weeks, the Lord has given me opportunities to live out those very truths in ways I didn’t expect. It’s been stretching, humbling, and yes, — exhausting — but it’s also reminded me that the kind of gratitude Scripture calls us to isn’t just for the good days. It’s for every day.
“In everything give thanks,” Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. It’s easy enough to quote that verse when life feels steady. But when the unexpected happens one thing after another, when fatigue sets in and emotions run thin — that’s where the rubber meets the road.
The past two months have held one challenge after another — urgent phone calls, disrupted plans, and long nights that left little room for rest. One day would bring a small crisis, the next another wave of something new. Some situations resolved with visible grace; others left lingering questions and weary hearts. It felt like every time I caught my breath, ...
